Episode 3
by riaddict
Summary: What happened after Jane left Joe Grant in the rain


Episode 3

I pulled my car in front of my apartment building. It was raining hard and I saw Joe Grant sitting on the concrete steps. I placed my car into Park and braced myself for the pouring rain.

"Hey", I called to him. I asked if he was waiting long. He said it has been a while and judging from the wetness of his clothes, it has been a while. He told me that he liked me for a really, really long time. I was surprised since I never got a hint. Wow, and I was supposed to be a detective. I do not know how to react or what to say to his revelation. Good thing he is leaving for DC, and I wouldn't have to deal with it. I got a fairly reasonable reply, though. "You're leaving," I said, then I turned around and went inside.

I remember what Maura told me. That Joe Grant has a thing for me. I should ask Maura to teach me that facial study thing. I never, for the life of me, saw that one coming.

I was thankful that Grant got that appointment in DC, for how else could I rebuff his revelation? I've never tried that long distance thing, heck; I am not even involved with someone close so how will that work?

I went to the bathroom and took a hot shower. While towelling my hair, my phone rang signalling that it was Maura.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Jane, I tried a new recipe tonight. Would you like free dinner?" Maura sounded excited and upbeat.

"Sure, just give me 15 minutes and I'll be right over."

In less than 15 minutes, I was at Maura's, tasting her clam chowder and some shrimps wrapped in some puffy pastry. "This is good!" I told her.

Ever the gracious host, Maura poured wine in my glass, white wine this time since according to her, it complements the seafood that we are partaking. I watched her as she gently twirl the bottle to prevent the wine from dripping. Such graceful motions. I wonder how she is at ballet. I realized that we are really worlds apart. The simple dinner that we are having is complete with all the trappings of a sit down dinner worth hundreds in a fancy restaurant. Whereas, if we were having dinner at my place, it would be take out and beers. She walked towards the fridge to get some strawberries which she said were organic. I wouldn't know the difference.

"You know, Joe Grant was at my place earlier," I started.

Her eyes went wide and a smile formed in her lips. "Really? Ow, Jane I did not interrupt you when I called, did I?"

"No, I sorta left him in my apartment steps."

"But why? I mean, why was he there in the first place?"

"He told me that he likes me.. for a really long time now." I looked at her and saw her smile widened.

'See, I was right after all!"

"Yeah, Ms. I-could-read-your-facial- muscle- master. But, it won't work out."

"You haven't even tried it, Jane. What if.."

"I thought you don't like sentences with what-ifs"

"Well, you've known Joe Grant since you were kids, it might work."

"NO, plus he will be moving to DC. Got promoted in this big shot job with Homeland Security." I could not tell my friend that there is something else. That I do not feel anything for Grant. That I ..

"Oh Jane, someday, you will find someone that you can never live without. Someone who will make your heart beat a little faster, like a shot of endorphins dispersed into your system." Maura said with glee in her eyes.

"It sounds like a drug problem."

"Sush, you are being difficult." And the doctor left her seat to get the chilled cream that she had prepared earlier. Maura insists that I try fresh strawberries with cream. I am thankful that I am not the one paying for this dinner.

"Oh, I meant to tell you, I got accepted at Yale, for the short course that I was telling you about."

Yale? Isn't that in New Haven, outside Boston, like many, many miles away?

"Uhm, yeah, what about it?" I asked. I honestly do not remember her telling me about a pending application somewhere.

"The forensic pathology course that I plan to take? Didn't I mention that to you?"

"No." NO. with my head swaying left to right. How can that information miss out on me? Or has she told me about it but I conveniently omitted to take it seriously?

"Who will be the ME if you leave? And where will you be staying? How long will that take?"

"Jane, the course is only for three months, I think I could arrange for that short leave, anyway Dr. Green can be appointed in an acting capacity."

Suddenly, I do not feel like eating strawberries, even if it has cream on top. Even if it was organic.

'You're leaving?"

"It's just for three month and Yale is not that far. I can go home during weekends. Oh, can you look after Bass while I'm gone?" She asked with her lips forming that sweet smile that when she does, I can never really say anything to refuse her.

Why do I have this panicky feeling? Maura is leaving. So this is what the dinner was all about, so I could be the turtle's nanny. "So this is what dinner's all about? So you could ask me about Bass?"

'What? No, silly. I just got the letter today. I was planning on this dinner since last week since we always end up at the Robber. I felt a home cooked meal would be appropriate."

"Well it would be ungrateful of me if I decline the request after you feeding me."

"No Jane, I just feel that Bass is already accustomed to your presence. Anyway, classes will start a month for now, so we have plenty of time. Please."

"As long as I don't get to bathe him. Does he ever take a bath?"

'What? Jane, Bass is, never mind, I'll just make a checklist before I leave."

"Where will you be staying there?" I asked. Will Maura get a roommate?

"I'll probably get an apartment. There is a lot of housing off campus."

"Do you really want to study some more?" Stupid question, of course she does.

She looked at me as if I grew another head. "Jane, forensic pathology is an evolving subject matter; it would help greatly if I enrol in additional courses. You know, maybe I may be able to learn a new technology that will make me could call it blood and not reddish brown stain at once." She replied. She is teasing me.

"Well, as long as it is helpful for us, I mean, your job. Maybe losing three months of your life to the classroom will be worth it." I still do not know if Maura will get a roommate. "And it will probably help you meet someone." I released the words that actually hurt me, I think.

"I think my former schoolmate; Sam will also be taking the same course. He is the assistant M.E. for San Francisco."

Great, a former schoolmate. Suddenly, this continuing education does not sound like a good idea.

The evening went on with Maura talking about the prospects of her learning new forensic techniques while I try to appear interested. Sure, I am happy for her that she is pursuing something that she loves. But I think I am not ready to share my best friend with a former schoolmate. Suddenly, the wheels in my brain were contemplating whether I should also enrol in some job enhancing course in Yale, something that will fit within a detective's salary. Does Yale even offer scholarships? By the time I went home, everything was settled, I will take care of Bass, check on her house once in a while and she promised to go home every weekend. I took a beer from my fridge and contemplate the day's happenings. In the middle of the night, I called Maura asking her to come to my apartment to help me decipher the mystery of the fallen vase. We closed a case and Joe Grant revealed that he has liked me all this time. He told me that he was leaving, and I took it as an excuse not to like him back. The news of him leaving did not bother me a bit. But the news of Maura's taking extra time off work bothered me. Is it because I will be spending less time with my best friend? Surely, I will miss her quirkiness and all the useless information that she keeps spewing out of her mouth. Maybe, I just have to look forward to the weekends then.

A/N : No infringement intended. Purely for entertainment purposes. These fics are happening in my head after each episode wrapped up. One shots only (depending on the reviews I get). Thank you for reading guys. Waiting for Season 2.


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